Belt-tightener for elevator-boots



T. S. GRIMES. BELT TIGHTENER FOR ELEVATOR BOOTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1919- Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

TJS. GRIMES.

BELT TIGHTENER FOR ELEVATOR BOOTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, I919.

vPatented Nov. 9, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I 10 we we? 01'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS S. GRIMES, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO LUMINUS COTTON GIN COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

BELT-TIGHTENER FOR ELEVATOR-BOOTS.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filed April 25, 1919. Serial No. 292,627.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THAonnUs S. GRIMns, of Columbus, in the county of Muscogee and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Belt-Tighteners for Elevator-Boots; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and highly eflicient means for keeping the belt or chain of bucket elevators at a proper tension.

A further object is to provide a device for attaining the aforesaid object which may readily be manipulated without any likelihood of throwing the belt out of alinement.

And a further object of the invention is the arrangement of the parts so that the pulley within an elevator boot may be held elevated when it is necessary to cut and relace the belt.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a boot equipped with my improved bearing and take-up device. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a perspective showing the supporting arms and take-up members apart from the boot. Fig. 4: shows a slight modification.

I have shown a conventional form of elevator boot A. within which is a pulley B for the belt (7 of a bucket conveyer. The shaft 1 of the pulley is supported in bearings 2 of a pair of arms 3 located on opposite sides of the boot and on the exterior thereof, these arms having a pivotal connection with the boot at one end, as at 4. The opposite end of each arm has a sector gear 5 which is adapted to mesh. with pinions 6 which are made fast to a shaft 7 by means of screws 8, the shaft extending across the end of the boot and being suitably supported in the latter. Formed integrally with each pinion is a ratchet wheel 9 with which engage pawls 10. The turning of the pinions will effect the raising and lowering of the arms 3 carrying the shaft 7 and pulley B. The weight of the pulley shaft and the arms is usually sufficient to keep the belt tight, the weight of these members as the belt stretches effecting the turning of the arms on their pivots, with consequent revolution of the pinions. The pawls 10 are adapted to permit such movement and will lock the parts in adjusted pos tion. If more positive means" be desired for effecting the automatic tightening of the belt, one or both of the pinions could be provided, as shown in Fig. l with a grooved extension 15 to receive the cord 16 having a weight 17.

In the use of my improved take-up the belt is made to run true by first securing one of the pinions 6 to the shaft 7 and then turning the other pinion, which will move the arm 3 and raise or lower the pulley shaft on that side, the latter pinion being then secured to the shaft 7 If the belt is to be tightened the pinions are readily turned to the right which will effect the downward movement of the arms, the latter being held in adjusted POSlfiOIl by the ratchet memers.

I have shown the ratchet on the left hand side of the boot oppositely notched to that on the right hand side so that the two wheels with their pawls 9 combine to form a double ratchet. Such an arrangement is of advantage when the necessity arises'for holding the pulley up when the belt is stretched and it is necessary to cut and re-lace the same, the left hand ratchet then holding the arms 3 at whatever elevation they may be raised. Where the oppositely notched ratchets are employed, there can be no automatic tightening of the belt since the left hand ratchet will prevent downward movement. This, of course, may be obviated by simply throwing the pawl out of engagement with the left ratchet and the parts will operate as before described.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent. It will be observed that by manipulating the ratchets the pulley shaft is moved an equal distance on each side and there is no likelihood of throwing the belt out of alinement and causing it or the pulley to rub against the elevator legging, and it is also quite clear that an inexperienced workman may easily tighten the belt by merely turning the ratchet wheel, there being no danger of creating too much tension on the belt because of lack of sufficient leverage to permit this.

I claim as my invention:

1. An endless conveyer including a belt, a pulley and a shaft therefor, a pair of pivoted arms forming bearings for said shaft, means for rocking said arms on their pivots,

and a locking means for holding said arms in adjusted position.

2. An endless conveyer including a belt,

' a pulley and a shaft therefor, a pair of pivto adjust said belt, and a pawl and ratchet for maintaining the parts in adqusted position.

in endless conveyer including a belt, a pulley and a shaft therefor, a pair of pivoted arms forming bearings for said shaft, each of said arms having a sector gear, pinions engaging said gears and adapted'for rotation to more said arms on their pivots, a shaft to which said pinions are rigidly secured, and a pawl and ratchet for maintaining the parts in adjusted position.

in testimonywhereof l have signed this specification. r

'lHADDEUS Is. GRIMES.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 1,358,437,

granted November 9, 1920, upon the application of Thaddeus S. Grimes, of Columbus, Georgia, for an improvement in Be1tTighteners for Elevator-Boots, was erroneously Written and printed as Luminus Cotton Gin Company, whereas said name should have been written and printed as Lnmmns Cotton Gin Company, as shown by the record of assignments in this oflice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the records of the case in the Patent Oflioe. I

Signed and sealed this 7th day of December, A. D., 1920.

[SEAL] L. B. MANN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

